Typographic numerator progressively and regressively operating



Oct. 22, 1963 G. RE BARATELLI 3,107,606

TYPOGRAPHIC NUMERATOR PROGRESSIVELY AND REGRESSIVELY OPERATING 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 1, 1960 1 6b eb (vbbbbg INVENTOR 6114-;PFfiRLB ATTORNEY Oct. 22, 1963 3, RE BARATELL] 3,107,606

TYPOGRAPHIC NUMERATOR PROGRESSIVELY AND REGRESSIVELY OPERATING File dSept. 1, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR useppefie Ziwoizl Oct. 22, 1963G. RE BARATELLI 3,107,606

TYPOGRAPHIC NUMERATOR PROGRESSIVELY AND REGRESSIVELY OPERATING FiledSept. 1, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States PatentThe present invention relates to a printing numbering (device operablein ascending or descending sequence.

Known numbering devices operable in ascending and descending sequencehave a number of disadvantages, whereof the principal ones involve theneed for manual operations when it is intended to change the directionof rotation of the numerator discs from the ascending to the descendingsequence or inversely, and the diiliculty of operation of the mechanismpreventing the printing or" unwanted zeros.

In conventional numbering devices, the operation of the numerator discsin ascending or descending sequence is in practice achieved by means ofone or the other of two pawls engaging a ratchet fixed on the shaftcarrying the numerator discs. Movement of one pawl away from, and of theother close to, the ratchet is accomplished by the tightening of onescrew or the slackening of another screw within a control plunger, bymeans of suitable tools. This operation requires patience, care, andexact synchronization between the two operations to prevent thenumbering device from jamming. The lowering .of the zeros tonon-printing position in conventional devices is carried out manuallyand separately for each zero. In order to prevent obstruction of thenumbering device during operation in descending sequence, by reason ofthe movable zeros, owing to their toothed outline, dropping into arecess provided in the shaft, minuscule retaining springs are providedwhich have a short life and easily become clogged. Other known movablezeros having a toothless profile function even less efiiciently, sincein order to allow printing they have to be adjusted by means of a verysmall pin passing transversely through each and mounted on the end of asmall loading spring adapted to push it into a cavity in the lateralwall of a recess provided in the numerator disc. Thus, whenever loweringof the zero is required, the operator is forced to displace the smallpin by means of an appropriate tool, with the accuracy and care of aWatchmaker.

The printing numbering device of the present invention has been providedto overcome such drawbacks by employing a simply set cam for selectiveascending or descending sequence operation, and a presettable controlfor lowering the zeros.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a printingnumbering device which substantially reduces or entirely overcomes thesedisadvantages.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent from a consideration of the following descriptionwhen taken in conjunction with the drawings forming a part thereof,wherein:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of a numerator according to theinvention taken substantially on the plane line l-1 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation looking from right to left at FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line3-3 of FIGURE 1; FIGURE-4 is a vertical section, taken substantially onthe plane of line 4-4 of FIGURE 6, similar to a portion of FIGURE 1 andshowing the presser or plunger removed from the numerator with thedirection-selector carnalso removed;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the direction-selector cam normallymounted in the presser or plunger of FIG- URES l and 4;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line66 of FIGURE 4 and showing a direction-selector detent spring in itsrelative operative position;

FIGURE 7 is an end view of the direction-selector cam of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is atop plan view of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line9-9 of FIGURE 8, showing details of the zero-depress selector wheel ordisk and how it is fixed on the numberingwheel-shaft;

FIGURE 10 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of lineIll-10 of-FIGURE 8, showing details of a numbering wheel or disk inrelation to a unit disk or wheel;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the numbering-wheel or disk shaft removedfrom the numerator, with the zerodepress selector wheel or disk thereon;

FIGURES 12, 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d are vertical sections taken on lines12+.l2, Ila-12a, 1217-1211, 12c- 12c, and 12d-12d, respectively, ofFIGURE 11, showing the relative positions of the drop-zero recesses onthenumberin'g-wheel shaft;

FIGURE 13 is a vertical section of the numbering disk or wheel closestto the plunger or presser, removed from the numerator, and illustratingthe manner in which the zero-number .type is retained in an operativeprinting position; and

FIGURE l4is a view similar to FIGURE -13, illustrating the manner inwhich the zero-number type may be dropped to an inoperative position.

As seen in the drawings, the numbering device accord ing to theinvention comprises a housing 1 having two compartments 1:: and 1b.

In the end walls of compartment hi, there are provided two aligned upperholes 7, f and two aligned smaller lower holes g, g The first pair ofholes 7, ff serves to mount a shaft 2 (FIGURE 1), which has in itssurface recesses depressions Zz longitudinally spaced apart, each havinga different number of faces or flats (FIGURES 12-12d). The second-pairof holes g, g serves to mount a spindle or shaft 3 which carries, inaddition to five driving gears 4 whereof one, indicated at 4', is fixedon the spindle 3 by means of a setscrew le, a toothed or ratchet wheel 5fixed at one end integral with the spindle and disposed in compartment111 (FIG- URES l, 3). Each gear 4 comprises a wheel having ten teeth 4a,a spacing hub 4b, and a second gear 4c having a single tooth ad whichengages with the ten teeth of an adjacent gear 4 (FIGURE 4). Each gear4, its spacer hub 4b, and gear 4c are integrally formed, or securedtogether by bolts or the like to act as a unit, as illustrated.

Six numerator disks 6 and 6' each having ten faces 6a with the digits to9, are rotatably mounted on the shaft 2, to which is securely fixed asby means of a setscrew 7a, a notched drop zero selector or control disk7 which serves to lower the zeros.

Integral with or secured to each disk 6 is a gear-like hub 6b (FIGURES 1and 9) having 'ten teeth 6c engaging -with the teeth of gears 4- and 4c.The hub 6a of the first of units disk 6' engages only with the teeth 40of the associated gear 4', as shown at the left in FIGURE 1, this gearbeing fixed on the shaft 2 as by the setscrew 4e, the other gears 44cbeing freely rotatable on the shaft. The disk 6 farthest from the unitsdisk and corresponding to the highest place digits, in this case thesixth disk, has its hub 6b engaged only with the single-toothed gear 40of the fifth gear 4, as shown at the extreme right in FIGURE 1. Each ofthe other toothed hubs 6b engages with the teeth 4a of one gear 4 andwith gear 40 of the next adjacent gear 4.

Each numerator disk 6 has engaged with its toothed hub 6b an arrestingpawl 8, successively received in the spaces between the teeth, and thecontrol disk 7 engages with a holding pawl 9; the disk 7 having sixperipheral notches 7b for successively receiving the pawl 9. Thearresting pawls 8 as well as the holding pawl 9 are pivotally mounted asmall spindle 8a. passing through the respective holes 8a and 9a, andare held in engagement with the corresponding numerator disk 6 or thecontrol disk 7 by means of respective springs 10 and #11 fittedlyreceived in laterally opening bores 19 and 11 in the housing .1.

The numerator disk 6, the units disk, has a fixed zero similar to theother digit faces 6a, while the other disks have each a movable or dropzero provided by a block 1-2 in the form of a parallelepiped having onits outer face a raised face 12a in the form of a zero, similar to faces6a. -The block has a concave inner face 12b (FIGURES '13, 14) in orderto fit freely against the circular surface of the shaft 2 and thusbetter withstand the thrust of the printing machine. The movable zeroblock 112 is disposed in an appropriate radial recess 6d in thenumerator disks 6 open to the shaft 2 at its radially inner end alsoopen at its outer end. The block 12 is formed with a cavity 120 in whichis engaged a pin 13 fixed to the disk 6 which allows the zero to bemoved radially without danger of its dropping out.

The end wall of compartment 1b of the housing 1 (FIGURES l and 2) isprovided with a transverse arcuate opening or slot h at the top and atransverse hole k at the bottom. The slot h permits shiftingexteriorally of the housing 1 of a cam 14 journaled in a conforming bore15" (FIGURES 4 and 6) in a plunger 15 (FIG- URES 1, 4 and 6). The cam 14is held in position in the plunger by a lateral detent spring 16 anddetent small ball 17 housed in a lateral bore 17' in the plunger 15. Theball is engageable in one of the detent or orienting recesses t and tformed in the cam shaft 14' FIGURES 2, 5).

The following operation is carried out when it is desired to change themovement from ascending to descending sequence or vice versa of thenumbering disks of the numerator:

The cam 14 includes an annular flange 14" which includes a small hole'14 formed in the annular flanged end face 14" and allowing it to beturned by engagement of a suitable tool therein through arcuate slot' h.The shaft 14' of the cam includes two flat faces 14g and (14h at rightangles to each other (FIGURES 3 and 4), permitting opposed numberingdisk reversing pawls 18 and 19 to alternatively engage the ratchet wheel5.

The pawls 18, '19 are pivoted on lateral pins 18p and 19p, respectively,which are fixed to plunger 15 in an undercut portion 15" on oppositesides of faces 14g and 1411. The pawls 1-8, 1 9 are biased towardratchet wheel 5 and each other by means of an expansion spring 20 housedin a bore m in the plunger 15 from which its ends protrude.

A stop screw 21 is threaded in the plunger 15 and extends into the holek to limit reciprocating movement of the plunger. The plunger has on itstop a raised portion 15b bearing the abbreviation No. (FIGURE 8). Theplunger 15 has opening into the bottom thereof two vertically extendingbores v, v housing coil springs 22 and 23 which react against the lowersurface of compartment 1b.

The recessed portion 15' of the plunger accommodates the ratchet wheel 5and permits relative movement of the pawls 18 and 19, and the plungerincludes a lower pair of guide projections 15a adjacent its bottombearing on the partition dividing compartments 1:: and 1b to guidemovement of the plunger. The pawls '13 and 19, respectively, includeinwardly directed fingers 1'8 and 19 optionally engageable with theteeth of wheel 5 depending on the orientation of the cam faces 14g and14h (FIGURES 3).

The operation of the numberingdevice thus described is as follows: i

The plunger 15, upon receiving a downward thrust of a printing machine(not shown), operates to cause partial rotation of the spindle 3 (FIGURE3), and is returned to its original position, by the springs 22, 23.During the downward movement, depending on the orientation of cam faces14g and 14h, one of the two pawls :18, 19, i.e., fingers 18' or 19',engages with the ratchet 5, which therefore turns the spindle 3 and thegear 4 fixed on the spindle 3. The gear 4' turns the engaged disk hub 6aof disk 6' and the first numerator disk 6 is moved by one step or digit.After nine steps or partial rotations of the shaft-fixed gear 4, thegear 40 of the gear 4 by engagement of its single tooth M with thetoothed hub" 6b of the second or numerator disk 6 adjacent 6' causes thedisk to be rotated one step to present the next digit or numeral face 6ain printing position. Through toothed hub 6b, the gear 40 of fixed gear4 also rotates the next adjacent gear adjacent gear 4 by one step ortooth, which after nine step rotations causes one step of the thirddisk, and so In order to reverse the operation from ascending todescending sequence or reversely, the other one of the two pawls .18, 19is actuated, by rotating the cam 14 through the opening h by means ofthe small hole 14 to reorient cam faces 14g and 14h.

Lowering of one or more zeros is accomplished by manual setting of thecontrol disk 7, which has six projections or faces 7c defined betweenthe pawl-receiving notches 7b, on which are legibly printed the numerals0 to 5 (FIGURE 8). By turning disk 7 against the force of holding pawl9, the shaft 2 is rotated to dispose the zero-lowering recesses with theseveral faces or flats 2z thereof in the desired position. The number 5on disk 7 is arranged so that the flats -2z on shaft 2 will be disposedbeneath all the blocks 12 of numbering disks 6.

From a comparison of FIGURES 12 to 12d, inclusive, it will be apparentthat the recess for the movable zero block 12 of the second numeratordisk 6 has one face or flat 22, and that the recesses for the blocks ofthe other four disks having movable blocks have each one more such flatthan the recess for the preceding disk, the sixth disk 6 having a recesswith five faces 21. Each succeeding recess has flats corresponding toall of the flats 21 of the preceding recess in extent and chordalrelation to the shaft axis. Thus, the rotation of the shaft to providefor lowering of the zero of any of the five disks having the blocks 12automatically positions one of the flats 22 of all the succeeding disksto provide for lowering of the associated disk zero blocks, but does notmake such provision relative to the preceding disks. This will beapparent from FIGURES 13 and 14, in which two positions of the sixthnumerator disk 6 are shown.

In FIGURE 13, the shaft 2 is turned to the position in which all of themovable blocks 12 are held in raised or printing position, the arcuatelyconcave radially inner face 12b of each bearing on an unrecessedcylindrical surface portion of the shaft which, as will be seen fromFIG- URES 12 to 12d, is common to all five recesses. This corresponds tothe position of control disk 7 presenting the numeral face 70 to view,indicating that none of the zeros will be lowered to non-printingposition.

In FIGURE 14, the shaft 2 has been turned to the position indicated bythe 5 numeral face 7c of control disk 7. In this position of the shaft,it will be apparent from comparison with FIGURES 12 to 12d, the flat 2zof the recess for the sixth disk disposed under, or inwardly of, themovable block 12 corresponds to the single flat Zz of the second diskrecess, and to the corresponding flats of the recesses for the third,fourth, and fifth disks also. The block of each disk engages on thisfiat by downward or radially inward movement and thus has its raisedprinting face 12a disposed below the level at which it can print, andall five movable blocks 12 therefore are rendered inoperative forprinting. If the shaft 2 were turned clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 14 tobring the next adjacent fiat Zz of the sixth disk recess into positionat the inner end of the block 12., the single flat of the shaft recessfor the second disk would be shifted from beneath the associated block12, which would then be supported by the curved shaft surface inradially projecting or raised printing position.

The blocks of the three intermediate disks would be lowered, since therespective recesses would each present radially inwardly of the blocks afiat 2z corresponding to the operative one of the recesses for the sixthdisk. Thus the zero blocks for the four highest place numerator disks 6would be retracted. It will be understood that this position of theshaft 2 corresponds to the position of control disk 7 in which thenumeral 4 is brought into view. Depression of the zero blocks 12radially inwardly against the flats or faces 2 of recesses isaccomplished by the action of gravity, or pressure from the printingmachine.

While I have illustrated and described what I regard to be the preferredembodiment of my invention, nevertheless, it will be understood thatsuch is merely exemplary and that numerous modifications andrearrangements may be made therein Without departing from the essence ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. A progressively and regressively operable numbering machinecomprising a housing including a pair of adjacent compartments, a shaftjournaled across one of said housing compartments, a plurality ofnumerator disks rotatably mounted in longitudinally spaced relation onsaid shaft, each disk having consecutively arranged numerals on theperiphery thereof, each of said disks except the one end disk farthestfrom said other compartment in cluding a radial recess opening to theshaft, a block radially movable in each recess bearing one of saidnumerals on the outer face thereof and having an inner face engaging onthe shaft, said shaft including integral, longitudinally spaced chordalrecessed surface means for selective registration with said radialrecesses to permit radially inward retraction of said blocks, a manuallyengageable control disk fixed on the shaft for rotation thereof toeffect said selective registration, a spindle journaled in the housingparallel to and below the shaft, means for rotating said spindlestep-by-step, and cooperable drive means on the spindle and each of thenumerator disks for effecting partial rotation of said one end disk uponeach partial rotation of the spindle and for effecting partial rotationof each successive disk upon a predetermined number of partial rotationsof a preceding disk, said spindle rotating means including a toothedwheel fixed on the spindle and disposed in said other compartment, aplunger reciprocably supported in said other compart ment adjacent theterminal end of said shaft, a pair of pawls journaled on said plungerandoptionally engageable with and depending on opposite sides of saidwheel movable with said plunger to effect partial rotationof said wheel,means in said plunger biasing said pawls toward engagement with thewheel, and cam means journaled on an axis parallel to said spindle andincluding means exteriorly accessible at one end of said housing forselectively shifting said cam means and holding one of the pawls out ofengagement with the wheel against the force of said biasing means.

2. A printing numbering device operable progressively or regressively byselective setting of cam means and having zeros retractable tonon-printing position by a presettable control, comprising a manuallyrotatable cam, a reciprocable plunger in which said cam is journaled, atoothed wheel journaled on an axis of rotation below and parallel tothat of said cam, a pair of pawls journaled in depending relation onsaid plunger and alternatively engageable with said toothed wheel byselective rotation of the cam, means biasing the pawls toward engagementwith the toothed wheel, a rotatably mounted shaft, a control wheel fixedon the shaft for rotatable adjustment of the shaft, .means to maintainsaid adjustment, said shaft in cluding axially spaced chordaldepressions in angular relation circumferentially of the shaft, printingWheel means on the shaft including zero blocks movable radially andengageable with the shaft and including inner ends receivable inradially inwardly retracted position in said chordal depressions, andmeans operably connecting said printing wheel means to the toothed wheelfor step-by-step rotation by said toothed wheel. I

3. A progressively and regressively'operable numbering device comprisinga housing including adjacent compartments, a shaft mounted :across oneof said compartments of the housing, said shaft including chordallydisposed surfaces, a plurality of numerator disks rotatably mounted onthe shaft each having consecutively arranged numerals on the peripherythereof, a drive spindle journaled in the housing below and parallel tothe shaft, means in said other compartment for incrementally rotatingthe spindle, cooperable means on the spindle and each of the numeratordisks for effecting initial partial rotation of only an end one of thedisks farthest from said other compartment upon each partial rotation ofeach successive disk upon a predetermined number of partial rotations ofthe disk preceding it, all lbutsaid end one of the numerator diskshaving a radial recess for communication with one of said cho-rdallydisposed surfaces, and a block radially movable in each recess bearing anumeral on the outer face thereof and having an inner face engageablealternatively either on the surface of the shaft or in one of saidchordal-1y disposed surfaces for radially inward retraction of theblock, said cho-rdally disposed surfaces permitting progressive,manually selected depression of said blocks from said end one of saiddisks.

4. A numbering device operable selectively in ascending and descendingsequence, comprising a housing, printing wheel means in said housingmovable step-by-step selectively in opposite directions, a rotatablymounted ratchet wheel, means operatively connecting said printing wheelmeans to said ratchet wheel for step-by-step movement thereby, areciproca'ble member in said housing, a pair of pawls pivot-ally mountedin depending relation on said reciprocable member and alternativelyengageable with said ratchet wheel for partially rotating the wheel in Irelation to reciprocation of said reciprocable member, and cam meanscomp-rising a cam member di'splaceably mounted on said reciprocalblemember and including adjacent camming faces at one end thereof disposedin the path of pivotal movement of said pawls for selective engagementtherewith to determine the direction of rotation of said ratchet wheel,said cam member inciuding an whereby said cam member is retained in anadjusted operating portion disposed at one side of said reciproca'bleposition. member for manual engagement and displacement for determiningthe orientation of said cam faces, said housing Refefemes Cited in thefile Of this Patent including an opening in one side thereof and inalignment 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS with and exposing said operatingportion. t

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said reciprocating 961035 51mm June1910 member includes spring-urged displ aceable abutment F REIGN PATENTSmeans thereon, said cam member including detent por- 133,70 "SwitzerlandApt 30, 193 tions in oriented relation with respect to said cam faces 10649,946 Ger-many May 5, 1936 and engageable with said spring-urgedabutment means 1,014,237 France May 28, 1952

1. A PROGRESSIVELY AND REGRESSIVELY OPERABLE NUMBERING MACHINECOMPRISING A HOUSING INCLUDING A PAIR OF ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS, A SHAFTJOURNALED ACROSS ONE OF SAID HOUSING COMPARTMENTS, A PLURALITY OFNUMERATOR DISKS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN LONGITUDINALLY SPACED RELATION ONSAID SHAFT, EACH DISK HAVING CONSECUTIVELY ARRANGED NUMERALS ON THEPERIPHERY THEREOF, EACH OF SAID DISKS EXCEPT THE ONE END DISK FARTHESTFROM SAID OTHER COMPARTMENT INCLUDING A RADIAL RECESS OPENING TO THESHAFT, A BLOCK RADIALLY MOVABLE IN EACH RECESS BEARING ONE OF SAIDNUMERALS ON THE OUTER FACE THEREOF AND HAVING AN INNER FACE ENGAGING ONTHE SHAFT, SAID SHAFT INCLUDING INTEGRAL, LONGITUDINALLY SPACED CHORDALRECESSED SURFACE MEANS FOR SELECTIVE REGISTRATION WITH SAID RADIALRECESSES TO PERMIT RADIALLY INWARD RETRACTION OF SAID BLOCKS, A MANUALLYENGAGEABLE CONTROL DISK FIXED ON THE SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREOF TOEFFECT SAID SELECTIVE REGISTRATION, A SPINDLE JOURNALED IN THE HOUSINGPARALLEL TO AND BELOW THE SHAFT, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SPINDLESTEP-BY-STEP, AND COOPERABLE DRIVE MEANS ON THE SPINDLE AND EACH OF THENUMERATOR DISKS FOR EFFECTING PARTIAL ROTATION OF SAID ONE END DISK UPONEACH PARTIAL ROTATION OF THE SPINDLE AND FOR EFFECTING PARTIAL ROTATIONOF EACH SUCCESSIVE DISK UPON A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF PARTIAL ROTATIONSOF A PRECEDING DISK, SAID SPINDLE ROTATING MEANS INCLUDING A TOOTHEDWHEEL FIXED ON THE SPINDLE AND DISPOSED IN SAID OTHER COMPARTMENT, APLUNGER RECIPROCABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID OTHER COMPARTMENT ADJACENT THETERMINAL END OF SAID SHAFT, A PAIR OF PAWLS JOURNALED ON SAID PLUNGERAND OPTIONALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH AND DEPENDING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAIDWHEEL MOVABLE WITH SAID PLUNGER TO EFFECT PARTIAL ROTATION OF SAIDWHEEL, MEANS IN SAID PLUNGER BIASING SAID PAWLS TOWARD ENGAGEMENT WITHTHE WHEEL AND CAM MEANS JOURNALED ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID SPINDLEAND INCLUDING MEANS EXTERIORLY ACCESSIBLE AT ONE END OF SAID HOUSING FORSELECTIVELY SHIFTING SAID CAM MEANS AND HOLDING ONE OF THE PAWLS OUT OFENGAGEMENT WITH THE WHEEL AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID BIASING MEANS.